Catch unit for relatively movable members



April 20, 1954 L. E. MERYDITH CATCH UNIT FOR RELATIVELY MovABLE MEMBERS Filed March 23. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l :s lo x6 IN VEN TOR. 55762 E. IERYp/TH BY ATToaA/EXS April 20, 1954 L E, MERYDn-H 2,676,082

CATCH UNIT FOR RELATIVELY MovABLE MEMBERS Filed March 25. 1949 2 heats-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STATES FTNT @ENCE CATCH UNIT FIOR RELATIVELY MOVABLE MEMBERS Lester E. Merydith, Lakewood, Ohio Application March- 23, 1949, Serial N0. 83,082

(Cl. B12-238) 6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates generally as indicated to a catch unit for relatively movable members and is, in its broader aspects, concerned with certain improvements in a catch unit which is operative to permit, without appreciable resistance or opposition, movement of members to a preseiected position with respect to each other and to yieldably oppose movement of said members from such preselected position. More specically, certain forms of the invention have to do with catch units which operate to yieldaoly arrest relative movement of members in opposite directions but yet enable continued relative movement in the same or opposite directions by the application o1 a force in excess of the opposition afforded by the units.

in the case of revolving corner base cabinets, for example, it is desiredv to index or position the revolving cabinet with its front panels flush with the adjacent supporting structure, to rotate the cabinet in opposite directions to expose the bins or shelves carried thereby, and to spin the cabinet in either direction from such open position to a closed position. As evident, the catch element which is carried by the' cabinet cannot project beyond the edges of the front panels and the cooperating catch unit carried. by or fixed relative to the supporting structure must permit the panels to pass relatively freely in opposite' directions and selectively engage the catch element to index the cabinet in a closed position. Likewise, in rotary card ile units it is desired to spin the files and have the same stop in selected positionsfor ready access by different persons seated therearound. In other installations too numerous to mention the principles of this invention have utility in freely permitting movement of members to preselected positions but yieldably' opposing movement of the members away from such positions. For example, drawers in trailers equipped with the present invention areY yieldably heldv closed and thus prevented fromy falling out due to vibration and typewriter carriages or other movable machine parts can be yieldably stopped at selected positions by installing the catch unit constituting the present invention thereon.

Accordingly it is one primary object of this invention to provide a catch unit which is operative to index or position the relatively movablemembers with. which` associated, offering little resistance to movement to such position. and greater resistance to movement away fromsuch position.

Another object is: to provide a noiseless catch Another object is to provide a catch unit which cushions the indexing movement of relatively movable members.

Another object is to provide a catch unit which is of a most simple and economical construction.

Another object is to provide a catch unit inwhich one of the cooperating catch elements is of a readily lateraliy deformable form and a more diiiicultly endwise deformable form, such characteristics being utilized to provide free Inovement of the members to indexed position and less free movement from such indexed position.

Other objects and advantages will become ape parent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then. comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particuL lai-ly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontalcross-section view of a typical revolving corner base unit having one form of catch unit associated` therewitl'i and yieldably holding the cabinet in a closed position withl its front panels flush with the adjacent supporting structure of the cabinet;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section view of the catch unit illustrating its operation when the edge of one of the front panels of the cabinet is moving therepast;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section View ci the' catch illustrating its operation when the catch linger on the cabinet is approaching the position shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-section view illusv trating the catch finger on the cabinet in an indexed position in the catch unit, the cabinet th'en being in the closed` position of Fig'. 1;`

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-section view illustwo-A way catch unit;

Fig. 11 illustrates a modification of the catch unit as employed with a drawer; and

Fig. 12 illustrates a modification requiring two separate units one disposed behind each front panel of the revolvable cabinet.

Referring now to the drawings and iirst to Fig. 1, the numerals I and 2 therein represent the intersecting back walls of a base cabinet structure, such walls being either the cabinet walls as in prefabricated metal cabinets or the room walls as in wood cabinets which are custom built and nailed to the room walls.

One objection to conventional cabinets with drawers or cupboards with hinged doors is that when there are drawers adjacent the internal corners, the space between the lines 3 and Il is wasted and when there are cupboards with hinged doors, such space is not readily accessible. Accordingly, to utilize a large portion of such space and provide ready access thereto there been developed a unit 5 which is rotatable on the pivot 6 and which is provided with one or more shelves 'I' or the like thereon of three-quarter circular form and front panels 8 adapted when the cabinet is in a closed position as shown in i to be flush with the adjacent front walls 9 of the cabinet structure.

The specific form of the revolving corner base cabinet is not a part of the present invention except insofar as the catch unit to be presently described has utility therewith in improving the operating characteristics'of the cabinet so that the latter may be rotated in either direction to expose the shelves 1 simply by pressing on one of the panels 8 as with the knee or hand and closed simply by spinning the cabinet in either direction whereupon the catch unit i@ will stop the cabinet in its closed position as shown.

The catch unit I illustrated in Figs. l through '7 comprises a pair of generally aligned link nuernbers Il having their overlapping ends pivotally connected together as by a pin I2 and their opposite ends respectively pivotally connected by pins It' to the brackets I5 adapted to be secured in any known manner to one of the walls I or .2 or other structure. Said links Ii are yieldably urged to a generally in-line position as by leaf springs I6 secured to wall I and bearing on the respective links. Obviously in some instances one spring IB bearing on one link will sufce. Moreover, it is contemplated to employ other forms of springs such as a torsion spring around one or both of the pins lli in the brackets I or a coil spring compressed between one link and the wall or a leaf spring extending from one link to the other. The specific form of spring is immaterial inasmuch as the primary function thereof is merely to restore the links to the in-line position after being displaced by the front panels in a manner appearing from the ensuing description.

For the purpose of limiting the outward swinging of the links Il a screw hook l? fastened in the wall I is positioned to be engaged by one link. Here again any of a multitude of stopping means may optionally be employed, viz. interengaging stops on the links, interengaging stops on one link and its bracket, etc.

Each of the links I I comprises a iront face cut away through one end as best shown in Fig. 6 leaving side or flange portions It which are adapted to be engaged by the edges of the front panels 8 during rotation of the cabinet and provided with top and bottom flanges formed with openings for the pins lli and I2.

Within each ink II is a strip Iof flexible material (preferably rubber or the like) which has one end clamped to the link as by screws The other end of each strip I9 adjacent the pin I2 is disposed behind the front face and free from the portions thereof I8, the opposed ends of said strips being spaced apart a distance sul."- stantially equal to the width of the catch finger 2i on the cabinet. Accordingly said strips iii constitute longitudinally extending tongues disposed generally parallel to the path of movement of the catch finger 2i which is disposed generally transverse to the tongues. Said catch finger 2l is adapted to be disposed between the spaced ends of the tongues when the cabinet is in a closed or indexed position, said finger projecting radially from the cabinet so as to freely pass the iront walls 9 of the cabinet supporting structure and being so dimensioned and located as to move between the side portions.v I3 of the links I! thus engage the outside side face of the tongues.

It is now apparent that the cabinet 5 will rotate freely without resistance because the shelves i do not touch the catch unit Iii and similarly when the edges of the front panels 8 engage the side portions I8 of the links II and move therepast to cause the links to be displaced as shown in Fig. 2 no appreciable resistance to free rotation of the cabinet is encountered.

When the catch finger 2l approaches an indexing position the links II will remain essentially in line as in Fig. 3 and the side of the tongue It engaged thereby will relatively easily be laterally deformed so as not to offer any appreciable resistance to the rotation of the cabinet. However, when said catch finger 2| reaches a position ben tween the spaced ends of the tongues as in Fig. 4 the cabinet 5 will be brought to a silent and cushioned stop by reason of the application of endwise force on the end of that tongue i5 engaged by the side of the catch finger. The tongue which was initially engaged and laterally deflected by the catch finger will return immediately to the position of Fig. 4 upon disengagement of the nnger therefrom whereby both tongues will yieldably resist rotation of the cabinet in either direction.

When it is desired to rotate the cabinet in either direction from a closed position, the force applied on one of the front panels 8 will the application of endwise pressure between catch nger 2I and one tongue I 9 and such iorce will have to be sufficient to buckle or deform the strip as shown in Fig. 5 to allow the finger to disengage therefrom. Upon such disengagement the cabinet can then be freely rotated to expose the shelves 'i and then subsequently spun in either direction to a closed position.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of one form of catch it is understandable that a two-way catch unit has been provided which allows the relatively movable members with which it is associated to relatively freely move to a preselected position at which position the members are brought to a cushioned and silent stop and yieldably retained thereat. Y y

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 8 the links l I previously referred to have been replaced by a one-piece flexible metal or plastic member 22 having its opposite ends attached to a supporting wall or structure and adapted to be readily deformed to the dotted position as the front panels of the cabinet move therepast. The strips or-tongues 23 lagain are preferably of rubber or rubber-like material and are arranged to function in precisely the same manner as. the tongues I9 in Figs. 1 through 7, viz. to be laterally deflected when the sides thereof are engaged by the catch finger 2l on the cabinet, to receive the catch finger 2l between the spaced ends of said tongues when the cabinet is in a closed position, and to be deformed or buckled by endwise pressure applied thereon when the cabinet is being moved from such closed or indexed position.

The structure illustrated in Fig. 9 is the same as that illustrated in Fig. 8 except that the tongue supporting member 24 is mounted in the manner of a cantilever beam adapted to be laterally flexed to the dotted position by the front panels of the cabinet. The tongues 25 in Fig. 9 function in exactly the same manner as the previously described tongues I9 and 23.

in Fig. 10 there is shown still another form of two-way catch unit similar in function to those illustrated in Figs. l through 9 except being made from one piece of flexible material 26 such as rubber or rubber-like material and slit or moulded to define flexible tongues 2l which are adapted to be laterally deflected by the catch linger of a movable member, to receive the catch linger between the opposed spaced ends thereof, and to yieldably retain the catch linger therebetween. The side portions 28 of the strip are adapted to be engaged and deformed as by the edges of the front panels of a revolvable corner base cabinet, and the re-bent ends 29 or otherwise thickened ends of the strip provide a clearance space for such deformation. The holes 39 through the opposite ends of the strip are for nails, screws, or like fastening means whereby the strip may be secured to a wall or other supporting structure. If desired, said strip 26 when made of rubber or rubber-like material may be treated so as to have a low coecient of friction with panel edges and with the catch finger.

ln the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 11 the movable member having the catch or finger therein 3l is exemplarily illustrated as comprising a drawer 32, said finger being engaged with the end of a flexible tongue 33 also preferably of rubber or rubber-like material as in the previously described catch units, such engagement, as apparent, yieldably holding the drawer in a closed position. Said tongue 33 preferably has a metal support 34 or is otherwise formed so as to be capable of being attached at one end in xed position on a support.

When the drawer 32 is being closed the catch finger Si will engage the side of the tongue and will laterally deflect the same, such deflection being effected without appreciable resistance to the closing of the drawer. When the drawer is closed, the tongue 33 springs to the position shown and engages behind the catch linger 3l to lock the drawer against opening except by application of endwise pressure on said tongue suiiicient to buckle the same, such buckling requiring application of a greater force than required tov laterally deflect the tongue. Thus, there is provided a yieldable lock which silently and easily latches through lateral deflection of a flexible tongue and unlocks by the application of endwise pressure on the tongue which buckles the same and requires application of a considerably greater force.

with reference to Fig. 12, the rotary cabinet unit e is yieldably retained in a closed position by two catch units, each of which is engaged by the rear face of the adjacent front panel 8 and each of which comprises a flexible tongue 35 mounted in a carrier 3,5 which in turn is` iixedly mounted on the cabinet Supporting structure. As apparent, when the cabinet is rotated in either direction to an open position one of the strips or tongues 35 will be subjected to endwise pressure and thereby buckled to permit the adjacent front panel il of the cabinet to pass. Likewise, as the cabinet approaches a closed position one of the tongues 35 will be laterally deected by the edge of the adjacent front panel 8 while the end of the other tongue 35 will function as the cushioning stop. However, one of the shortcomings of a construction such as that illustrated in Fig. l2 is that when the cabinet is open only partway, that is with the cabinet rotated less than 99 from closed position, then further opening again requires overcoming the resistance to buckling of one of the tongues 35 and closing from such part-way open position should be effected in a direction opposite from the opening. 0f course, by rotating the cabinet 90 from a closed position in one direction one-third of the shelf l will be exposed and the adjacent onethird will be readily accessible, and similarly, by rotating the cabinet in an opposite direction from the closed position, the remaining onethird will be exposed.

As previously indicated, the applications of the catch units herein disclosed are to be regarded merely as exemplary, it being obvious that said units may be applied to any number of devices wherein it is desired to yieldably arrest or cause cushioned stopping of a moving member. The principal feature which provides for no appreciabie resistance to movement of a member to a selected position is the provision of a flexible element engaged along its side to laterally deect the same and subsequently engaged at its end to require application of an endwise force thereon sufficient to buckle or compress the same to an extent permitting disengagement of the moving member therefrom. Other alternatives deemed to be within the spirit of the present invention are the mounting of the catch unit on the moving member and the catch finger or equivalent on the member relative to which the moving member moves. Furthermore, in some cases flexible metal strips or tongues might be substituted for the rubber or rubber-like tongues herein disclosed and similarly coil springs may have utility in that they would be relatively easily deflected laterally of the axes thereof but more diihculty compressed in an axial direction and buckled.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

i. in combination, an angular cabinet support provided with openings at the corner, a cabinet rotatably mounted on said support and provided with front panels of substantially the same size and shape as such openings, a radially projecting catch ringer on said cabinet circumferentially spaced from said panels, a catch unit fixed relative to said support comprising a pair of substantially aligned flexible tongues having spaced free ends engaging opposite sides of said finger whereby to hold said cabinet in a preselected position relative to said support with said panels closing such openings, said tongues and finger being so disposed that, during rotation of said cabinet to a position with Vsaid 'linger 'between the i'ree ends of said tongues, said tongues are laterally denected, said catch unit further including means connected to the other ends of said tongues and extending alongsider said tongues, said means being laterally deeeted to correspondingly move said tongues, as the edges of the panels of said cabinet move past said catch unit in contact therewith thereby permitting said cabinet to be rotated without positioning of the edges of the panels between the free ends of said tongues` 2. A catch unitproviding a yieldable stop for a rotary cabinet and the like, said catch unit comprising an elongated, laterally flexible body having a laterally projecting attaching portion at one end by which saidcatch unit is adapted to be mounted for lateral'deflection of said body a projecting portion or" such cabinet moves therepast in contact therewith, a pair of resilient, laterally flexible tongues extending longitudinally oi said body toward each other and terminating in opposed spaced apart free ends, the other ends of said tongues being secured to said body adjacent the ends of the latter, said tongues being adapted to be laterally denected relative to said body for reception of a projecting cooperating element of such'cabinet between the free ends thereof as such element moves in lateral deectcontact with one of said tongues to a position abutting the free end of the other tongue, said one tongue springing to its laterally undelected position when such cooperating element is positioned in abutting relation with said other tongue whereby the free ends of both tongues are in abutting relation with respect to such projecting element to thus resist further movement of such rotary cabinet, and said tongues being displaced by lateral deflection of said body by such projectingportion to permit the latter to move therepast without abutting the free ends of either of said tongues,

3. The catch unit of claim 2 wherein said body has asecond laterally projecting attaching portion at its other end and wherein said body comprises irst. and second links pivotally connected together atone end and pivotally connected at their other ends to the respective attaching portions, and resilient'means acting on said links to swing the same to substantially aligned, laterally undeilected position. i

-- 4. The catch unit of claim 2 wherein said body laterally overlaps oneside of said tongues whereby, upon lateral deflection of said body by such projecting portion, said tongues are laterally displaced therewith to permit such projecting portion to move past said catch unit, as aforesaid.

5; `The'catch unit of claim 2A wherein said body comprisesa unitary strip of rubber-like material integrally formed with said tongues.

r6rA catch unit comprising an elongated unitary strip vof flexible material integrally formed with a pair of laterally deilectable tongues lying substantially in the plane of said strip, said tongues extending longitudinally of said strip toward each other and terminating in free ends spaced apart for reception of a cooperating element therebetween, saidV strip including a continuous longitudinally extending side portion disposed alongside said tongues and adapted to be laterally deflected by another element to correspondingly displace said tongues whereby such another element may pass said catch unit Without abutting the free end of either tongue.

ReferencesV Cited in the le of this patent l UNITED STATES PATENTS 

